An exploration of men's brand relationships

Abstract

If you would like to write for this, or any other Emerald publication, then please use our Emerald for Authors service information about how to choose which publication to write for and submission guidelines are available for all. Please visit www.emeraldinsight.com/authors for more information. About Emerald www.emeraldinsight.comEmerald is a global publisher linking research and practice to the benefit of society. The company manages a portfolio of more than 290 journals and over 2,350 books and book series volumes, as well as providing an extensive range of online products and additional customer resources and services.Emerald is both COUNTER 4 and TRANSFER compliant. The organization is a partner of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and also works with Portico and the LOCKSS initiative for digital archive preservation. AbstractPurpose -The purpose of this paper is to examine the applicability of the consumer-brand typology developed by Fournier to a segment of heterosexual male shoppers of fashion and grooming products. Design/methodology/approach -In-depth interviews, collage constructions, and shopping trip observations are the three methods of inquiry in this research. Findings -A total of 13 of the 15 brand relationships detailed by Fournier are affirmed. Three new relationships emerge in the data demonstrating the fluidity of the typology across market segments and sociocultural contexts.Research limitations/implications -The research findings provide implications for other consumption contexts which aid in identity construction. In addition, some of the new relationships that emerge from the text may be prevalent among other segments of men, and/or women. Practical implications -Managers must be cognizant of the variety of brand relationships that men form with regard to fashion and grooming in order to effectively appeal to this growing market. The new relationships identified exhibit the goal-driven nature of men's engagement with brands. The prevalence of secretive and adversarial relationships also demonstrates that marketers and retailers must be mindful of men's boundaries of consumption. Originality/value -Fournier highlights the importance of context to brand relationships. However, little research has investigated the relevance of the original typology across contexts and across segments. This research explores a particular sociocultural consumption context and discovers new relationship forms not previously identified among a segment of male shoppers.Over a decade ago, Fournier (1998) introduced a typology of 15 consumer-brand relationships based on her research of consumer-brand narratives. This typology is significant because her research conceptualizes the brand as "an active relationship partner" (Fournier, 1998, p. 344) and captures the multitude of ways in which consumers bond with brands. Fournier (1998) discusses the need to move away from measuring brand loyalty strictly as a metric based on repeat purchases and instead points to researchers who recognize the "talismanic rel...

“A feminine brand? Never!” Brands as gender threats for “resistant” masculinities

“…These homosexual informants' fear of being perceived as feminine by others because of the brands they purchase echoes prior findings with heterosexual men of Tuncay-Zayer and Neier (2011), with regard to men's relationships with grooming brands. We reveal here that, in both cases, this behavior is connected with a discourse about "resistant masculinity" or "instrumental masculinity" from our respondents.…”

“…Some researchers have suggested that today's masculinities are characterized more by ambiguity and malleability than by the hyper-masculine perspective (Littlefield, 2010). Hence, some contemporary masculinities are oriented toward more gender-egalitarian ideals, such as the "metrosexuals" (Tuncay, 2006;Tuncay-Zayer and Neier, 2011) or the "at-home fathers" who nevertheless use capitalizing practices to improve the status of domestic activities traditionally coded as feminine (Coskuner-Balli and Thompson, 2013). More recently, Klasson and Ulver (2015) showed that in Sweden, a country permeated by the ideology of gender equality, masculinities are more complex, diverse and hybrid than the lone perspective of hegemonic masculinity.…”

“…Masculinities are also multiple: "with growing recognition of the interplay between gender, race and class, it becomes common to recognize multiple masculinities" (Connell, 1995, p. 76). Brands are part of the construction of these relations with the world (Tuncay-Zayer and Neier, 2011). But how does the diversity of masculinities interfere with brands?…”

Understanding and Messaging A New Technology for Skin Health: A Mind Genomics Exploration

“…In this spirit, the four answers to each of the four questions in Table 1 paint word pictures. 4. Combine the answers (but not the questions) into small vignettes, each vignette comprising a minimum of two answers, and a maximum of four answers.…”

“…That is, the chemistry of cosmetics, the formulation, and the possible toxicological aspects are part of the science of cosmetics, but the mind of the cosmetic customer is not. Of course there are general studies, but really very few of a specific nature to which a marketer can go to understand that customer mind [1][2][3][4] How does one communicate science and beauty in a simple way, especially when the science involves new technology (e.g. fullerenes with nano-properties appropriate for and valuable to cosmetic products; [5,6].…”